Day 6 – 14: Living with Temporary Veneers

MONDAY: Day 6

Today has seen a marked improvement. I still have slight jaw ache and feel pressure in my gums but I am able to move/open all of my mouth now and, wait for it, smile! Think I need some practice at it after being unfamiliar with this facial movement for most of my life but I am sure it will come in time. Previously my mouth ached too much to smile or open my mouth fully. This has now subsided and I can open/move my mouth as normal.

The ulcers have pretty much disappeared, which I put down to the variety of meds I have been using and rinsing with salt & water. This seems to be much quicker than the usual 2 weeks which everyone claimed on the internet!

There is a little more sensitivity in my bottom teeth today compared to the last few days, but it subsides quite quickly with a bit of bonjela rubbed all around the teeth and gums.

The rough adhesive that sits all around the temporary teeth is starting to get smoother – not sure if this is a good or bad thing. I assume this is with general wear and tear; eating, talking, constantly rubbing my tongue around my mouth poking all the new things…  The result of this is that my teeth sit together a bit more snugly. Bonus. However – the flip side of less adhesive protecting my teeth, is that every now and again, I get sharp sensitive pains.  Akin to biting in to an ice lolly. These are quick flashes, not continuous, just every now and again. It think it happens when I rub a bit of tooth where the adhesive has worn thin/off and so the underneath tooth is less protected.  I’m no expert, I just know it smarts a bit!

For dinner I ate more home-made chicken soup. This is becoming quite monotonous but is good for ease. On on the plus side, I am looking pretty trim with the lack of calories – so I will fit in to my bikini nicely in September! My Mum says she is considering following my new ‘temporary teeth’ diet as it has had quite rapid results.

I have had no pain killers today at all and plan to go to bed without any. Hardcore.

TUESDAY: DAY 7

Day 7 is a charm.  I would say still uncomfortable rather than painful.

Achievements for day 7:

• I ate a banana – I had to cut it up in to bite size pieces with scissors (no knife) as I couldn’t bite it properly but it was a positive step
• I went out to dinner and ate battered haddock and chips  – slowly and sadly without ketchup but this has provided welcome relief from all things chicken! It is difficult going out to dinner and only being able to pick food that is white and won’t stain your teeth

• I drank a cold drink – with ice! I did this through a straw but this would never have been possible on days 1-5. Unless I had been tranquillised in advance!
• I wore red lipstick to work! This demonstrates feeling confident about said teeth, despite them being plastic temporaries. Sometimes, I even smiled (photographic evidence) … still a work in progress…

Today I have been at work; in meetings and talking constantly from 7.30am – 5.30pm. I have so far coped with only 2 Panadol, which I took at 7pm. I could not have managed this on previous days, so this shows that things are getting better. I then went out to dinner with my Dad, as my Mum was away.

The few people who I have shown the temporaries to have told me how great they look. Sometimes I feel a bit like Mr. Ed; as though the teeth are huge in my mouth and really obvious. I think I am just being paranoid but because they feel so big, I feel as if I look like the picture below.  My few confidants tell me this isn’t the case and that I am carrying them off naturally – which is reassuring!

I am getting used to the feeling of the temporary veneers and although they are uncomfortable they are livable for the time being.  Especially compared to the first couple of days, where I wanted to rip them out of my mouth with my own bare hands.

I am taking another couple of Panadol before bed as I have eaten more and talked more today than any other day so far. Only 7 more days to go to get these bad boys off!!

WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY: DAY 7 and 8

I have been  quite the risk taker with the temporary teeth in the last couple of days. I have eaten a mint aero and some ‘Nice’ biscuits, against all good judgement and advice. It feels very strange eating such hard things, but I managed, so it can’t be that difficult and it was most definitely worth it. Where as you would normally just chew without thinking about it, I now have to grind very slowly as some teeth sit higher or lower than they used to. To eat ‘free style’ results in me clanging one of the teeth and then there is that moment of ensuing internal panic… Not worth it. I’ll just to continue to eat like a pensioner.

I have barely taken any Panadol over the last couple of days and although the general sensitivity has increased in all of my front top and bottom teeth, the overall jaw achyness has abated quite substantially.

They look as though they are starting to discolour slightly now, so by next week I am not sure how great they are going to look. Might just have to superglue my mouth together.

My nails are growing horrifically long with my new inability to bite them and filing them sends shivers down my spine. My other half thinks they look nice. What do men know. All I know is I spend half the day trying to keep them clean. Don’t know why women bother.

FRIDAY: DAY 9

Awoke without too much discomfort and lasted for most of the day at work without any pain relief. By about 4pm the teeth – in particular the front top and bottom 4 – were feeling pretty sensitive. To the point where I popped a couple of nurofen.

I also added some bonjela around my gums and on the teeth themselves, as this has helped in the previous few days. No so today. It felt akin to having the bleaching done and my teeth were hyper sensitive to the point where I couldn’t move my lips or speak because if they rubbed against my teeth it encouraged shooting pains and was thoroughly unpleasant.

I said to my boyfriend that it felt like someone had scraped all the enamel off my teeth – to which he helpfully replied, well they have haven’t they. I guess it is to be expected.

After about 30 mins the pain started to wear off, I assume the pills helped. When I got home I brushed my teeth and gums with Sensodyne, which I have found useful over the years with any sensitivity problems.

For dinner I had a fish lasagne. I was sceptical at this offering from my Mother, but it was exactly like fish pie but with pasta rather than potato. And it was bloody lovely. My Mum made it especially to give me a break from chicken, but keeping the ‘white foods’ theme.

I also managed a couple of alcoholic beverages which aided the soothing of the sensitivity and was purely medicinal.

SATURDAY & SUNDAY: DAYS 10 & 11

The last couple of days have been much easier. Little to no pain. I have taken 2 nurofen in the whole weekend. Pretty much zero jaw ache – maybe just 5% pain compared to normal. And only the odd shooting sensitivity pain. On days 1 & 2 I literally thought this day would never, ever come.

The teeth feel more normal and I am less aware of them, although it does not feel anything like my old bite. I assume/hope the permanent veneers will but may have to be followed with a check up afterwards to make any bite adjustments.

Over the last couple of days, I have been able to eat more or less what I would normally would, although I have been avoiding foods that would likely stain the teeth. Keeping clear of all things red, purple and black is a good rule to follow!  However, I drank several glasses of alcohol to no detriment – and I was drinking pernod and blackcurrant with lemonade, so if that isn’t a good test I don’t know what is! I do not have pink teeth.

I have eaten bread, chocolate, ham, cheese and greengages. The only difficulty is biting/ tearing food as you would with a sandwich or fruit, so I have pretty much just been cutting everything up in to bite size pieces, for ease.

I noticed when I first got the temporaries that the right side of my mouth/teeth fitted together quite comfortably but my left side didn’t and it felt odd and abnormal because I couldn’t bite down properly. Bizarrely over the last week, my left side now fits together more comfortably but on the right side, the teeth now do not meet all the way along. I am guessing this is down to the fact that the adhesive and temporary teeth are a more malleable material and with my biting and grinding it has molded them in to a different shape. The porcelain won’t do that as much if at all, because it is a harder/ denser material.

All in all, the last few days have been pretty much plain sailing compared to the firstw eek and they almost feel like my own teeth, if a little rough to the touch and the not-quite-right bite. Only 3 days to go until the real ones.

MONDAY & TUESDAY: DAYS 12 & 13

Over the last couple of days I have pretty much got used to the temporary teeth. They don’t fit together as my old teeth did but I have adjusted to the feel and difference in shape/ layout.

I have found that I get a mild jaw ache/discomfort that is almost continuous although this is not on a par to the initial feelings of pain from the first few days. I assume this discomfort is caused by my mouth sitting in a different position. I would assume that if this was the same for the permanent teeth, that maybe you would get used to it and adjust over time – or better yet, no discomfort with the permanent teeth at all!

I have found I can eat and drink as normal, paying attention to the colour of the food/drink. I even ate a sandwich today without cutting it up with scissors! Result. Chicken leg and jacket potato for dinner with a token of green veg (was too scared about getting green teeth). Last supper…

The sensitivity has abated dramatically and I have barely used the bonjela or any other pain relief since the weekend.

I get the 16 permanent veneers tomorrow which should take around 5-6 hours. I assume I will go through this whole exact process again, but at least this time I will be fully prepared as I know what to expect. And get some decent teeth out of it too!

Almost looking forward to going to the dentist….!

Click here to read: Permanent veneers